


It Even Makes The Grinch Believe

by soul_writerr



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: 5+1 Things, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Developing Relationship, Dorks in Love, Getting Together, Gift Giving, Light Pining, M/M, Mistletoe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:34:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21646093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soul_writerr/pseuds/soul_writerr
Summary: 5 times Sonny brought Christmas cheer into Rafael’s life + 1 time he didn’t have to.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 31
Kudos: 102
Collections: Barisi Christmas Celebration





	It Even Makes The Grinch Believe

**Author's Note:**

> If you know me, you know I've started talking about Christmas in JULY, so you have no idea how excited I am that it's finally December. The decorations are beautiful, the music makes me so happy, and Christmas stories have a special feel to them. So here's my first contribution for the month! 
> 
> Oh, and speaking of music, the title comes from Lea Michele's Christmas in New York, which I'm OBSESSED with. Give it a listen! 
> 
> Enjoy!

**1.**

There was a quick knock on the door, and Rafael looked up to see Detective Carisi walk in, smiling so broadly he couldn’t help but smile back. 

“Detective,” he greeted. “Good news?”

“If you consider case files good news, yeah,” Carisi’s smile made his dimples impossibly deeper, and Rafael could see them clearly as he stepped towards his desk to hand him the files. “Here you go.” 

“Ah. Not as exciting as I thought given your sunny expression this morning,” he smirked, half-teasing. The man’s delighted expression didn’t falter for one second.

“I’m just happy,” he pointed out unnecessarily. “It’s November 1st!”

Rafael tilted his head. He knew the Detective’s birthday was in February - he had once announced very proudly that he was a leap year baby - so Rafael really didn’t know what November 1st could possibly mean.

“Is it someone’s birthday?,” Rafael asked, leaning back into his chair.

“No! Christmas is coming!,” Carisi said, loud and excited. “Now that Halloween is over we can all focus on the best holiday of the year. November 1st is the day I can put a wreath on my door without anyone looking at me weird.”

Rafael chuckled. “Well, _I_ certainly would.” 

Carisi tilted his head, considering him with a smug look. “Are you a _grinch_ , Counselor?,” he teased. “I thought you might like the Holidays. Gifts, good food, days off work. Sounds like something you’d enjoy. ”

Rafael couldn’t hold back a mild smile as he spoke; the things the Detective had just listed were, indeed, what he liked about the holidays. But still, he let out a pronounced sigh and shook his head, looking down at his lap with the memories that came to the forefront of his mind.

“My Christmases haven’t always been the happiest, Detective,” he said, looking up at him with downturned corners of his mouth. “It’s not a date I particularly look forward to. Or even like to remember.”

Carisi’s eyebrows lowered immediately, and he nodded in solemn understanding. “I get that,” he said sympathetically, then started again tentatively. “But hey, the thing about being an adult is that we can make our own holidays, right? New traditions and such. New memories.”

Ever the optimist. It was one of the things Rafael secretly admired the most about the other man.

“I guess you have a point,” he offered, not keen on shutting the Detective and his Christmas cheer down. “But I’m afraid I haven’t had the time to make new traditions these past few years.”

Carisi’s eyes twinkled, and his frown turned into a look of enthusiasm. “Don’t worry about that, Counselor. It’s still November 1st, anyway. You’ve got time,” he said, smiling again. “Can I show you something?”

Before Rafael could even think of a reply, Carisi sat down in front of him and lifted his leg, pulling his pants up to his ankles. The Detective was wearing black socks, but as he revealed more of it, Rafael could see that at the top there were little gingerbread men, wearing red and green bow-ties and holding hands all around the sock. 

Rafael couldn’t help the bubble of laughter that escaped him at the sight, especially not paired with the Detective’s beaming smile and crinkled eyes. 

“That’s very tasteful,” he conceded. Given how tacky Christmas-themed socks tended to be, this one was quite subdued. And even a little cute. Or maybe it was Carisi and his ability to make the most absurd things seem endearing.

“Right?,” he nodded, putting his foot back on the floor and fixing his pants. “Christmas is in the details, Counselor.” 

It came as no surprise to Rafael when, a week later, Carisi walked into his office with a gift bag and a mischievous look on his face. He had never seen the Detective look as satisfied as he did when Rafael pulled out the pair of dark burgundy red socks, which had red and white candy canes all around the top.

Rafael wore it the very next day, and it was his and Carisi’s little secret.

**2.**

It was mid to late November when Carisi came knocking on Rafael’s door with a basket of baked goods. The ADA raised his eyebrows at him, his pen paused across the page he was writing on. Carisi’s smile was as bright as always, and Rafael could smell something _amazing_ the minute he set the basket on top of his desk.

“Hello, Detective,” he started teasingly. “Please, do barge into my office without explanation and take up my space while I’m trying to work, why don’t you.”

Carisi, the cheerful bastard he was, waved a hand at Rafael. “I’m gonna leave this on your coffee table for you to take home later, just wanted to show you.”

“More gifts?,” Rafael said smugly, peering into the basket with barely concealed interest.

“Christmas cookies!,” the Detective said brightly, and started pointing at the different shapes and naming the flavors. “This is a regular sugar cookie, this is chocolate, this one’s your classic gingerbread man, this one’s got a kick of nutmeg, and my personal favorite recipe, cinnamon cookies.”

Rafael’s eyebrows shot up again, this time in surprise. “You made these?”

Carisi shot him a lopsided smile. “‘Course, Counselor. You think I’d bring you subpar baked monstrosities from any old deli?” 

He chuckled, shaking his head at the other man in disbelief. Rafael was sure Carisi’s charm was going to be the death of him, any day now. He looked so sweet, with his eyes so bright, his smile so warm, his excitement coming out of him in waves.

“I’ve been testing out a few new recipes I found,” he explained. “Baked a whole bunch of them this weekend, and knowing how much of a foodie you are, I made you a basket with a nice selection. You gotta give me some feedback, though.”

Rafael considered him for a moment, then stood up and walked towards his coffee maker. “Have you got a minute?” 

Carisi perked up, nodding. “Sure. What do you need me for?” 

“Take off your coat, make yourself comfortable,” Rafael smiled in what he hoped was a friendly manner. “I’ll make us some coffee and we can share some of your experiments. I’ll give you my feedback live.” 

“No pressure,” he joked, but was already shrugging off his coat. “I think you’re gonna like the cinnamon one the best, Counselor. I’ve seen the way you inhale those cinnabuns.”

Rafael chuckled. “You’ve been watching me?”

He was delighted to see the way the Detective’s cheeks turned a soft shade of pink, and he spluttered as he tried to come up with an answer.

“I mean,” he started, fidgeting with his tie. “Aren’t we all?” 

Rafael raised an eyebrow at that, and the Detective’s cheeks bloomed once more, the pink shade of his embarrassment going down his neck as they held eye contact. 

Taking pity on him, but definitely cataloguing that reaction to further examine it later, Rafael shrugged. “I guess you’re right. I’ve been known for putting on a show here and there.” 

“Yeah,” Carisi breathed, taking a sit on the couch, running a hand across his hair. “And you know how much I admire you, Counselor. So yeah… uh, I’ve been paying attention.” 

Rafael considered him for a moment; he saw the way Carisi’s eyes flickered to his, the way the corner of his lips twitched up, the way his eyes sparkled. 

“So have I,” Rafael said, then turned to serve them each a cup of coffee. 

There was a beat of silence; not uncomfortable, not awkward. A simple pause where both Rafael and Carisi stopped to take in the weight of what had just transpired, trying to find hidden meaning in each other’s words.

Rafael wasn’t one to beat around the bush, but when it came to… whatever was going on here, he had to proceed with caution. This wasn’t something Rafael was willing to just wing it, to throw caution to the wind. 

The friendship and companionship he had built with the Detective over the years were valuable to him. Aside from Olivia Benson herself, Carisi was the only Detective Rafael ever allowed himself to get close to, and he wasn’t about to go burning his bridges. 

When he did allow himself to dwell on it, Rafael was often caught by surprise by where his mind would often go. But Carisi was just too perfect and pure, his intentions always so altruistic and kind, Rafael couldn’t help himself. 

He couldn’t help but picture a world where Carisi would find Rafael worthy of him. He pictured a world where his natural defenses, sharp tongue and overall disregard for personal relationships didn’t push the Detective away. 

Rafael had yet to realize, however, that the Detective kept coming back regardless of all that. 

Their silence was interrupted by a gargle from Rafael’s coffee maker and Carisi ripping the plastic he’d wrapped around the basket he’d brought. 

When Rafael turned, a cup in each hand, Carisi was smiling at him. It was a soft, content smile that made him pause again, for a millisecond, before he went to join the Detective on the couch.

“So where should we start?,” Rafael asked as he settled into his seat. 

“Save the best for last,” Carisi said with a wink, and picked up two of what Rafael remembered being the sugar cookies.

“This test already sounds biased to me,” he joked, but accepted the cookie all the same. It was shaped like a star. 

“Not if they’re all actually good, Counselor,” Carisi said smugly.

“Feeling confident, are we?,” he chuckled. “Let’s see it, then.”

Unsurprisingly, all the cookies were _very_ good, and Rafael did like the cinnamon ones the best. But the actual best thing about that morning was that Carisi only left when Olivia called, asking after him with a confused tone to her voice, and even so, he seemed contrite when he bid his goodbyes. 

Rafael had remained seated on his couch; coffee gone, half the cookies consumed, the smell of baked goods still in the air, and a satisfied feeling in his chest. 

For the rest of the day, Rafael found himself smiling every time he looked up to see the basket that had been left on his coffee table.

**3.**

It was early December when Rafael walked into his office early in the morning to find a bottle standing proudly on his desk. He paused momentarily, taking in his surroundings, the vague memories of death threats coming back to him. 

Once he made sure he was alone, Rafael stepped closer to his desk and dropped his briefcase on a chair to pick the bottle up. It was a nice, heavy bottle of mulled wine, with a red bow around its neck. Leaning beside it was a crisp white envelope.

Rafael doubted very much that the creeps who wanted him dead would send him something like this, so he deduced it might be a gift from either Carmen - although he was sure she’d give it to him in person - or one of the paralegals he often helped.

He picked up the envelope, which was addressed to him in a handwriting he recognized immediately, and smiled. Carisi should have been his very first guess, really. 

So he opened the white envelope to find a card inside, which read “A Venn Diagram Illustrating how to survive Christmas” and below it had two circles that weren’t even close to touching each other. One said “drink” and the other one said “there are no other ways”. 

Rafael couldn’t help it; in the solitude of his empty office he allowed himself to let out a loud, deep, belly laugh that had him bending slightly from the waist. 

Inside the card was a short message along Carisi’s signature that read “to new Christmas memories - even though after drinking this whole bottle you most likely won’t remember a thing.” 

Before he talked himself out of it (and with a warm feeling filling up his chest), Rafael pulled out his phone and dialed Carisi’s number, not at all surprised when the Detective picked up on the second ring.

“Detective, it was very brave of you to break into my office to leave a bottle of wine unattended,” Rafael said in lieu of a greeting, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. 

“I’ll have you know you left your door unlocked,” Carisi replied after a short laugh. “I was going to leave it at Carmen’s desk, but took a chance and it was open.”

“Hm, maybe I’m turning forgetful in my old age,” he half-joked.

Carisi _pffted_ on the other end. “You’re not old, Barba. You just don’t care enough about your safety to worry about things like that. I still remember you gave a gang member your home address and invited him for a little chat.”

“Touché,” Rafael smirked, turning the Christmas card in his hand. “Thank you, Carisi. I appreciate the thought, and the card.” 

“That was actually only part of the gift,” Carisi started eagerly, and Rafael raised an eyebrow even thought he couldn’t see it. “You know what goes well with mulled wine? A nice, cheese fondue. And I just happen to have a great recipe for that.”

Rafael was glad Carisi wasn’t around to see the way his mouth fell open at the invitation. Warm mulled wine and fondue? That was, without a doubt, the most romantic proposition Rafael had gotten in at least two years. And coming from Carisi, of all people, well… He couldn’t help but feel a little hopeful.

He got himself in check to continue the conversation, let out a soft chuckle and joked, “Oh, so you’re inviting yourself to drink my gift.”

“You could say that,” he snorted. “Or you could say I’m doing the gentlemanly thing of wining and dining you.”

That warm feeling in Rafael’s chest spread again, and he found himself smiling like a fool. “Just tell me when, then.” 

“How about this Friday night?,” was Carisi’s immediate reply, and Rafael could definitely hear his excitement. He would even bet the other man’s dimples were on full display now, deep and charming.

“Sounds great, Detective. I’ll bring the wine.”

**4.**

Rafael wasn’t surprised at all to see just how overly decorated Carisi’s apartment was. There were touches of Christmas all around the place; tinsel, baubles, fairy lights, holly, ceramic snowmen, and a small nativity scene was the centerpiece on the dining table. 

The Christmas tree had its designated, VIP spot in the living room, standing tall and bright with red and gold decorations. The star at the top was big and glittery, and was accompanied by an only slightly more subdued moon right below it. 

The room smelled amazing too, like a cosy winter woodshop, and sugar cookies baking in the oven. Rafael, weirdly, felt like he was being welcomed into a hug as he stepped further inside the apartment.

“Let me take your coat,” Carisi asked, ever the gentleman. “And you better take off your blazer as well. The heat is on, it’s about to smoulder in here.”

“You’re making me ruin my outfit,” Rafael scoffed, but shrugged off his navy blazer anyway, after handing him the wine bottle he’d brought. It wouldn’t do to start sweating, even if it dressed him down to a plain white button-up. 

Carisi chuckled, shaking his head amusedly. “You look amazing anyway, Counselor.”

Rafael smirked at him. “I’m not sure you should be calling me that if you’re wining and dining me, as you put it.” 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, it just comes naturally,” he then made a dramatic gesture towards the kitchen. “Please, Rafael, follow me into the kitchen and I’ll get the wine ready for us.” 

After a short laugh, Rafael did so. “What should I call you, then? Dominick?”

Carisi grimaced slightly. “Sorry, Dominick just sounds like you’re asking to speak to my dad. Call me Sonny.” 

“Where did that nickname come from?,” Rafael asked as he leaned against the kitchen island, watching as Sonny uncorked the bottle of mulled wine.

“My ma,” he said, and the bottle popped open loudly, making him laugh. “My dad was Dom to everybody, and she thought calling a baby _Dominick_ was just too much. Why name me that in the first place, though, right? Family tradition and whatnot, but still. So she went looking for a nickname in those baby names books.”

Rafael had been listening, getting increasingly amused. “Well, I guess that’s what she gets for not doing that for your given name.”

“Exactly,” Sonny nodded, pulling out a saucepan with a flourish. “She liked what _Sonny_ meant. Sunny, radiant, cheerful, whatever it was. And now here I am.” 

“I think it’s fitting,” Rafael said, and Sonny turned to him with a beaming smile, just to prove his point. 

“I like it,” he said, then pulled out a cutting board. “Now, I know you like cinnamon, so that’s a given, but what fruits would you like? I’ve got grapefruit, oranges, grapes, and apples.” 

Rafael considered it for a moment, tilting his head. “Grapefruit and oranges.”

“Nice. Citrusy and spicy.”

Sonny went on to cut the slices of fruit to drop on the saucepan as the mulled wine simmered slowly on the stove. He looked so confident in his movements, so in charge. And being focused on where he placed his knife gave Rafael a moment to take in his appearance.

He looked relaxed, his hair brushed back but loose, strands falling freely on his forehead. He was wearing a grey sweater with white baubles stitched across the chest. The sweater was tight around his biceps, and it tapered down to his narrow waist in a way that Rafael couldn’t help but ogle at.

To go with the somewhat cute sweater, he was wearing a light wash of blue jeans that made him look, in all honesty, delectable, with the way it hugged his ass and his thighs, and he was barefoot. Which should not be attractive, but Sonny made it work for him remarkably well. 

Rafael only blinked back into reality when Sonny offered him a glass of wine, warm and with a nice slice of orange floating on top. They clinked their glasses together, and kept eye contact as they each took a first sip. 

He hummed, satisfied, at the tangy and sweet flavors that rolled around his tongue, and the way it warmed him from the inside as it went down. 

“This is fantastic,” Rafael said, smiling. 

And Sonny started saying something, probably about some recipe or other, but something above his shoulder caught Rafael’s attention. He narrowed his eyes at the string coming down the ceiling, and smirked slowly when he realized what it was.

“Sonny,” he interrupted, his eyes never moving. “Is that a mistletoe hanging from your ceiling?” 

Sonny immediately turned, his eyes wide and mouth agape. “Oh. Shit. I didn’t-- I don’t-- I thought I’d taken that down.”

Rafael raised an eyebrow. “Why would you?”

“I put it up as a joke,” Sonny said quickly, turning back to Rafael urgently. “My sisters came over to help me decorate, we were joking around, and I said the idea of kissing someone under a mistletoe seemed romantic, but in my line of work it doesn’t always sound right, so my older sister Theresa got me that and said if I didn’t put it up I’d be jinxing myself. I did just for her to see and shut up about it, I should have taken it down by now.”

Rafael looked between the gorgeous man in front of him and the offending little plant, considering what to do next. 

“Rafael, I don’t want you to think I’d ever--,” Sonny started again, sounding a little panicked.

“Sonny,” he interrupted again, setting his glass on the counter. “I give you my full and enthusiastic consent to kiss me under that mistletoe.”

Sonny’s jaw dropped at that, and he blinked, clearly surprised. Rafael had thought about this many times, but never had the set-up seemed so natural and right. 

Sonny looked back over his shoulder, then at Rafael, and set his glass next to his so he could take Rafael’s hand instead. He led him towards the mistletoe, hanging just between the kitchen and the dining room, and stood underneath it with big, blue eyes shining down at Rafael, full of hope.

“Are you sure?,” Sonny asked, a hand now on Rafael’s cheek.

“Positive,” he breathed, and a second later they were kissing.

He wasn’t sure who had leaned in first, but the moment their lips met, it didn’t matter. Nothing else mattered, because Sonny’s lips felt so soft, and his thumb was caressing Rafael’s cheek so tenderly he couldn’t help but melt, one hand on the back of Sonny’s neck, one on his waist. 

Sonny smelled like cinnamon, and when their tongues swirled together Rafael noticed he tasted like it too, but with a tinge of wine to go with it. It was an exploratory kiss, one where they slowly became acquainted with each other, with the way their mouths fit, and how it felt to pull the other closer.

Rafael felt a little delirious as Sonny’s tongue explored his mouth, licking deeper and deeper as it went. It was wet, and loud, and absolutely _delicious_ , and Rafael honestly couldn’t remember the last time a kiss had felt this good.

When they parted, they were both panting slightly, lips swollen and shiny. The look of great wonder in Sonny’s beautiful eyes made Rafael’s heart swell, and slowly, he smiled.

“I think I’m beginning to see the appeal of Christmas, after all,” he said, half-teasing, sounding breathless and awed.

“Yeah,” Sonny breathed against his lips, already leaning down for another kiss. “Best Christmas ever.”

**5.**

A week after their date, Rafael was lounging on his couch, glass of Scotch in hand, as he reflected on where he was at that time a week previously. He smiled, thinking of the feel of Sonny’s arms around him, the taste of his lips, the cinnamon smell that seemed to have clinged to his skin.

He thought about the rest of the night they had, the way Sonny had looked at him with such adoration as he took Rafael apart bit by bit. The night took a turn once Rafael found himself in Sonny’s bed, naked and writhing under the Detective’s skillful hands and mouth, but it had definitely been a pleasant turn. 

Leaving the next morning had proven to be harder than Rafael thought, especially when Sonny kept pulling him into his chest, kissing him long and deep, whispering in his ear, asking him to stay a little longer. And he did stay, and stayed, and stayed, until he couldn’t bear to be in the night’s before clothes anymore. 

During the week, it’d been hard to see him. Their schedules didn’t really line up, and as a personal offense, SVU hadn’t really needed him much. Rafael had expected Sonny to call, to try to make plans for the weekend, but the only sign that things were alright he got from the Detective was another Christmas card and a handful of candy canes he’d gotten on Wednesday, delivered by a courier. 

Rafael could have called himself, of course, but he wasn’t sure where he stood. Had it been an one-night stand for Sonny? That didn’t sound like him, but if it was, Rafael wouldn’t have agreed to it if he knew. He liked to think he was past pining, but the idea that it might have been an one-time thing ached something deep in his chest.

Which led to him staying after hours, avoiding the cold weather outside, the emptiness of his own apartment, and the silence from Sonny’s side.

Just as Rafael was about to refill his now empty glass, the door opened, and in came Sonny himself, a beautiful smile on his face, and a cardboard box under his arm. 

“Hey,” he said softly, making his way to Rafael, leaning down to press a kiss to his lips.

If Sonny intended it to be a simple peck, he got another thing coming, because Rafael wrapped his hand around his tie and kept him locked in place, deepening the kiss without hesitation.

He hummed, pleased, when Sonny immediately went with it, kneeling in front of the couch and holding Rafael’s face between his hands. The kiss turned quickly from a simple hello kiss to a scorching, sensual exploration of each other. And it was just as amazing as Rafael remembered. 

“God, I missed you,” Sonny panted when they parted, resting their foreheads together. “I’m sorry, Rafael. I know I kind of disappeared, but I didn’t want to scare you off.”

“You couldn’t,” Rafael said, rubbing their noses together gently.

“You don’t know,” he chuckled, leaning back slightly to look Rafael in the eyes. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. I was afraid I’d crowd you and you wouldn’t stand to be around me in a couple days.” 

“Nonsense,” he mumbled against Sonny’s lips, then took it in another deep kiss. 

They made out on Rafael’s couch for what felt like three hours. He kept pulling Sonny closer and closer, until he was half on top of Rafael, half on the floor. At some point, Rafael’s Scotch glass had slipped through his fingers because now that hand was buried in Sonny’s hair. 

Sonny groaned against Rafael’s lips every time he tightened his grip on his hair, and Rafael moaned from some place deep within his chest whenever Sonny used his weight to press Rafael further into his cushions.

Rafael was sure they both looked a vision when they parted; breathless, hair a mess, clothes wrinkled and askew, lips red and swollen. And yet, they smiled at each other, relieved and content smiles that reflected just how much they’d missed each other during the week.

“I’m sorry,” Sonny repeated once he got his breath back.

“If you ever hold out on me again, I’m having you transferred back to Staten Island,” Rafael said, mock-seriously. “But I’m also sorry. A phone works both ways.”

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “Let me just say something, though. I had a wonderful time with you last Friday, and I want to do it again, whenever you want.” 

Rafael nodded. “Is that why you’re here tonight?”

“Partially,” he said coyly, then reached beside himself to pick up the box he’d left on the floor at some point between walking in and falling into Rafael. “I actually had a surprise for you.”

Rafael watched as he opened the box to reveal - shocker - Christmas decorations. He raised an eyebrow at the garlands, stockings, baubles, and pinecones. 

“I was thinking we could put them on your mantelpiece,” Sonny said, smiling excitedly.

His first reaction was to say no, absolutely not, but Sonny looked so cute with his bright eyes so wide and sunny smile, Rafael stopped to consider it.

“Come on, Christmas is only two weeks away,” Sonny said softly, reaching for Rafael’s hand. “They even put a tree in the entrance hall downstairs, Raf. That definitely gives you the okay to decorate your office.”

“Okay,” he chuckled. “But nothing too over the top.”

“I had never in my life thought I’d hear _Rafael Barba_ say he doesn’t want something to be over the top,” Sonny said, a hand to his chest in a dramatic gesture.

“Don’t make me throw this whole box out of the window,” he huffed, standing up to remove the books and trinkets that currently sat on his mantelpiece. “How did you know I was here?,” he asked as Sonny carried the box and placed it by the fireplace.

“Uh…,” Sonny hesitated, pulling out a couple strings of garlands. Rafael noticed they were sprinkled with fake snow on the tips. “Lucky guess?”

He narrowed his eyes at Sonny, crossing his arms over his chest. “Detective, how did you know?”

“Find My Friends app,” he mumbled under his breath, fidgeting with the garland.

“What?”

“Find My Friends app,” Sonny said louder, turning away to grab something else from the box, but Rafael saw the way his ears pinked.

“I knew I shouldn’t have bought an iPhone,” he groaned. “I didn’t even know I had that!”

“It’s a good thing,” Sonny argued, handing Rafael a couple gold baubles. “If you ever got kidnapped, I’d know where you are.”

Rafael rolled his eyes dramatically. “If I ever get kidnapped, you shouldn’t be on the case. It’s a huge conflict of interest.”

Sonny frowned, pulling out even more baubles. “What, you expect me to sit around while I know you’re out there being held hostage or something?”

“You _should_ , but no, I don’t expect that because I know you, and I know SVU, and you’d probably be made lead Detective on that case,” he huffed, busying himself with the placement of the baubles.

Sonny huffed, now in charge of the red baubles, intersecting them with Rafael’s golden ones. “Why are you saying that like it’s such a bad thing? I’m a good cop.”

“You’re a great cop,” Rafael interjected, stepping back to look at their work so far. It definitely looked like a Christmas bomb had exploded in that corner of his office. “But are you telling me you’d be able to be objective and stay unbiased if you knew somebody hurt me?”

Sonny stepped back as well, and he nodded, pleased at their work. “No, I’d kill them.”

“There you go! The prosecution rests, you shouldn’t be on the case,” he said with a jut of his chin, peering into the box to look for more decorations. “Also, don’t kill anyone, I wouldn’t want to have to ask Rita to be your defense attorney.”

“She has defended way worse,” he said with a chuckle, handing Rafael a miniature Christmas tree, with decorations and a star on the top and all. 

Rafael placed the little tree on the center of the mantelpiece, and Sonny placed a tiny snowman next to it. “Yes, but _I’d_ want to defend you.”

“Conflict of interest, Counselor,” Sonny winked, then pulled out a handful of tinsel. 

“That’s my whole point!,” Rafael protested. 

“Well, don’t get kidnapped either!,” he threw his hands up, and little loose strings of tinsel floated around him with the movement.

Rafael snorted at the ridiculous picture they made, and then Sonny was laughing, and Rafael started laughing, too, and soon Rafael’s office was filled with the sounds of happiness, and covered in tinsels.

**+1**

Rafael placed the last gift under the tree and stepped back to look at the way he’d displayed them all. There were a handful of boxes, but they were on the small side, and he didn’t want it to look sparse under there. After all, this was about spoiling Sonny.

He was considering that maybe he should have bought one or two more, just so the pile looked a bit more full, when the bedroom door opened and Sonny walked out, yawning. Rafael positively melted at the sight of him in his red Christmas pajamas that had “up to _snow_ good” embroidered across the chest in white. Sonny’s hair was a mess, and his pout looked about two times poutier. 

“Raf, what’chu doing?,” he asked with a hoarse voice, rubbing the back of his hand across his eyes.

Rafael smiled at the adorable picture he made. “I was just admiring your Christmas tree,” he said cheekily as Sonny stepped closer to him.

Sonny hummed, curling himself into Rafael’s chest, his face pressed into Rafael’s neck. He hugged him tightly, pulling Sonny close with both arms and pressing kisses to his forehead. 

“Come back to bed,” he mumbled against Rafael’s neck. “‘Missed you.”

Rafael chuckled. “I was gone for only a few minutes.”

Sonny grunted his disapproval. “‘Bed’s cold.”

“We can go back to bed in a moment, but look,” he turned so Sonny could look over his shoulder. “Santa came.”

Sonny’s gasp was loud given the quietude of the moment they were sharing, and he pulled away to stare at the pile of gifts with wide eyes and mouth agape.

“What the hell?,” he blinked, then looked at Rafael. “You didn’t have to get me anything, Raf.”

“Of course I did,” Rafael said fiercely. “Do you want to open them now, or would you rather go back to bed?”

Sonny considered it for a moment. “How about opening them _in bed_?”

Rafael laughed. “Well, I guess you aren’t just a pretty face, then,” he pecked Sonny on the lips. “You’re smart, too.”

Sonny let out a silly giggle, and started picking up the boxes, trying to balance them in his arms. “This is too much, Rafael.”

“I’d say it’s not enough,” he protested over his shoulder, making his way into the kitchen. “Coffee?”

“Yes, please,” Sonny said, all but running into the bedroom.

“Wait for me before you open them!,” Rafael called out after him, amused.

“Hurry up, then!,” came Sonny’s reply, and Rafael couldn’t help but laugh.

Half an hour later, Sonny was sitting on the middle of the bed, wrapping paper all around him. 

He had his new tie and scarf around his neck and his new gloves on his hands. He immediately transferred his coffee to the Constitution mug Rafael got him, even through his protests of not being so sure how clean it was. The new law book he got was on his nightstand, and Sonny was now admiring the picture in the gold picture frame he’d just unwrapped.

It was a picture of Rafael and Sonny at SVU’s Christmas dinner Sonny had hosted, about a week before. They were standing under the mistletoe that was still hanging from Sonny’s ceiling, foreheads resting together, arms wrapped around each other, and they were laughing. 

Olivia had snapped that picture while Dodds and Rollins were poking fun at them, catcalling and clapping as they were mildly _annoyed_ into kissing under said mistletoe. It was a beautiful picture of the second after they parted lips, content and at peace.

“We look so happy,” Sonny whispered, eyes still on the picture in his hands. He looked up at Rafael, eyes bright and full of adoration. “Thank you.”

Rafael leaned in, wrapping paper crinkling under him, and pressed a kiss to his lips. “You’re very welcome.” 

“I’m sorry I only got you a pocket watch,” he said, resting the picture frame on his lap. “I just--”

“Sonny,” Rafael interrupted, taking Sonny’s hand in his. “You gave me Christmas back, and you made it the best holiday.”

“I wanted it to be special for you,” he said in a small voice. 

“And it was,” Rafael smiled. “It was special, magical, beautiful, and-- I’m happy. So thank you, Sonny. Besides, I do really like the pocket watch.” 

Sonny chuckled, shaking his head fondly. “Merry Christmas, Rafael.” 

“Merry Christmas, Sonny,” he sighed happily, leaned in, and kissed him again. 

**Author's Note:**

> We love dorks in love, but more than that we love dorks in love ON CHRISTMAS. 
> 
> Let me know what you think, and don't forget to click the button to leave a kudo and spread Christmas cheer! See you soon for another story. <3 MWAH


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